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NewsDay

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Mujuru takes bond notes fight to SA

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OPPOSITION Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) leader Joice Mujuru will next month take her fight for the hearts and minds of Zimbabweans to South Africa with a rally scheduled for that country’s administrative capital Pretoria.

OPPOSITION Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) leader Joice Mujuru will next month take her fight for the hearts and minds of Zimbabweans to South Africa with a rally scheduled for that country’s administrative capital Pretoria.

BY RICHARD CHIDZA

Joice Mujuru
Joice Mujuru

According to the organisers, the rally, to be held in the bustling neighbourhood of Mamelodi, will centre on government’s controversial import ban on certain basic goods as well as the impending introduction of bond notes.

A poster seen by NewsDay read: “Diaspora says no to bond notes . . . no to banning import of basic commodities”. ZimPF spokesperson Jealousy Mawarire confirmed the rally.

“It is true that she (Mujuru) will speak in Pretoria next month. The speech is known by the president and the speechwriters, not those that created the poster for the rally. I am sure they would want her to speak on those issues, but it does not mean they have her speech,” Mawarire said.

Two months ago, government announced import restrictions on basic commodities through Statutory Instrument 64 as a measure to support local manufacturers, but the move sparked widespread riots and violent protests with the border town of Beitbridge feeling the full force of the anger.

The demonstrations, which saw a Zimbabwe Revenue Authority warehouse torched, resulted in the temporary closure of the border post.

Mujuru has since approached the High Court seeking an order to force government to reverse the decision.

Government recently announced it would introduce bond notes as a measure to alleviate crippling cash shortages that have forced ordinary Zimbabweans to spend hours in queues to withdraw money from banks.

The move has been met with stiff resistance, including protests by anti-government groups such as opposition parties, #ThisFlag and Tajamuka/Sesijikile.

Mujuru has been on a whirlwind tour of the country’s provinces drumming up support for her party and will, before the South African tour, plunge into the Zanu PF stronghold of Mashonaland Central on September 3.